The Second Avatar
by Mwagner11
Summary: Kenzie Sparks is a rebellious girl from Fire Nation who runs away; she is done with their evil ways. When she meets Aang, Katara, and Sokka she realizes she is the Secondary Avatar which has drawbacks. Meanwhile, Zuko has been ordered to kidnap both Aang and Kenzie; if he doesn't he will be exiled forever. Will Kenzie and Aang be able to save the four elements in time?
1. Kenzie Sparks

**I don't own the Last Airbender the only character I own is Kenzie Sparks. **

Kenzie was tired of her nation.

The Fire Nation was pure evil. They destroyed, using their element to cause chaos and confusion.

Kenzie had had enough. She loved fire-but only when it was used to in the right way. To warm, protect, and defend.

She was just a fifteen year old girl but she was going to escape and find someone-a water or maybe earth person. She couldn't stay here any longer. Right now she was packing her only belongings-two red tunics with leggings, a sword, a dagger, a red dress, and red combat boots. She slid on her boots, dressed into a tunic, and tied the remaining roll together.

She peered ahead into the smoky gloom. If she travelled far enough she should be able to find a different land. Kenzie, took one last glance at the only home she'd ever known. A hut made of coals and embers and hardened magma. Her pale fair skin, as white as snow, shone and her green eyes searched the hut one last time. Ever since her aunt had died, she'd lived here alone for six years.

"It'll be an adventure," she reassured herself. Kenzie fought the swallow the huge lump in her throat. She then ran off, not looking back once.

She ran and ran and ran through the smoke, the fires, the cities of her own kin. As a habit, Kenzie kept tucking her chocolate brown hair behind her ear but it didn't help the tension that she felt. If the Fire Lord found out she had betrayed her kin, even though she was no one important, it could result in major trouble for her.

Kenzie continued to run and she gasped when she was black metal gates up ahead. There were guards at the entrance. What was she supposed to do?

The answer came to her and she hid behind a black clump of bushes. A ball of fire appeared in her cupped hands and she blew on it softly, controlling it so it rose above the guards heads, then viciously began to shoot out at them. It did nothing except for confuse them. "What the-" one said as a guard made it evaporate. "Kai, did you do that?"

"No," the other one, Kai answered.

Kenzie made two balls of fire appear from behind their heads and they instantly turned around. She quickly snuck over to the gate and with shaking hands began to climb over it. "Hey!" one suddenly shouted and Kenzie leaped over the gate, then began to sprint as the guards yelled for backup.

The smoke and geysers eventually became forest but she was really too tired to see anything. Kenzie felt dizzy-her whole world spun. And then she slumped to the ground, motionless.

* * *

Katara and Aang walked in the forests. "We have to find someone to teach you fire," she told him gravely. "You picked up Earth from that master, Chin Go, but who will teach you fire?"

Aang nodded. "I really don't know." He suddenly stopped. "Katara, look!" he exclaimed and scrambled over to a motionless girl on the forest floor. The girl was pretty with almost white skin and short chocolate brown hair that went to just above her shoulders. Katara went over to the girl then faced Aang.

"Her features show she's from Fire Nation," Katara warned.

Aang put a hand on the girl's forehead. "Yeah," he muttered. "That's true."

Katara tugged at his shoulder. "Aang, we shouldn't be here. This could be a trap."

The girl's eyes suddenly flew open and she sat upright. She had green eyes mixed with brown, Aang noticed. She was definitely from Fire Nation. "Who are you?" the girl asked, her tone slightly laced with fear but mostly determination.

Katara studied the girl. "Are you from Fire nation?"

The girl nodded. "Yeah. I left. I don't want to be one of them anymore." She opened her hand and showed them as red hot curls of flame danced across her palm.

Katara hesitated, then offered her a hand. "Um, I'm sorry to say but that really doesn't sound like a Fire Nation person." The girl accepted and Katara pulled her to her feet.

The girl nodded. "I know."

Aang stood up as well. "Come with us to the Earth Kingdom. We can test your loyalties there. And by the way will the Fire people be looking for you?"

Kenzie nodded. "Probably. I don't want them to come after you because of me, though."

Katara shrugged. "If you've truly turned against them, then we'll help you."

Sokka came out of the trees, panting. "Aang, Katara, where are you-"He stopped in his tracks. "That's a fire child."

Katara stepped in front of the girl. "Sokka, she claims to have run away-"

Sokka stepped up to the girl who stared back. "What's your name anyway?"

"I'm Kenzie Sparks," Kenzie answered truthfully. "It's a really weird name I know but it works. I wish my parents had chosen something more exotic."

Sokka faced the others. "If we bring her back to the Earth Kingdom, she can't be free just in case she's lying." He took cuffs out of his pocket and held them up. "These are fire-proof."

Kenzie stared them with her eyebrows raised, then sighed. "I guess its only fair." She held out her wrists and Sokka roughly clamped the cuffs on her.

"Ouch!" Kenzie yelped. "I think these cuffs have spikes on them!"

Sokka shrugged. "Sorry." He didn't sound too sorry.

Kenzie motioned to her bundle with her head. "Can someone grab that?"

Katara picked it up and whispered in Kenzie's ear. "Sokka's really not a bad guy. He just can be a little too harsh sometimes. You seem like your genuine but you can never be sure."

Kenzie nodded in agreement. "You have that right."

Aang studied Kenzie carefully. There was something about her. He had a feeling she could teach him to fire-bend if she turned out genuine but he had a feeling she was more important than they realized.

They walked to the Earth Kingdom then entered. It was no longer under control by the Fire people which they were glad for. Right now they were taking shelter in a sort of shack. Kenzie held out her wrists to Sokka. "Can you take these off now?"

He shook his head. "No."

They reached the shack and then ducked inside. Kenzie faced them all. "So, how do I prove myself?"

Aang was the first to answer. "Look at me."

Kenzie did, straight in the eyes.

"I want you to renounce the Fire Nation," he ordered.

"Huh? You mean like give up my powers?" Kenzie asked nervously.

Aang shook his head. "No. Just swear to me you aren't loyal to them anymore."

Kenzie looked him straight in the eye. "I am not loyal to Fire Nation anymore." She stared at Aang and he finally nodded.

"It's convincing." He turned to the rest of them. "I'm going to meditate. I'll try to be back soon."

**Hope you liked the first chapter! And please review! **


	2. The Second Avatar

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Aang sat in the Earth Temple, then sank into a sleep. When he reawakened he was in the Spirit World.

Aang ran past leafy forests and lakes, passing spirits of every kind until he found a large dragon spirit. "I am back," he said boldly. "I want to ask about Kenzie Sparks."

The Dragon turned to Aang. "_You were right to come about me to her. Aang she is true in what she speaks but she plays a greater role than she imagines. This age is so perilous right now, that the Spirits have sent a Secondary Avatar into the world-and that is Kenzie Sparks_."

Aang's mouth was dry. "What? What does that mean? Secondary Avatar?"

"_A Secondary Avatar is much like you. They can control all of the elements, even air. They however have three drawbacks but one advantage. The drawbacks are that they can only enter the Spirit World thrice, they can only communicate to lesser Spirits and I and a few other major Spirits, and once they have lived for a hundred years, if they are killed after that, then they die like everyone else. Their advantage is they don't have to be trained in the elements. They already know them, deep inside. Kenzie is the first Secondary Avatar." _

Aang stared at the Dragon Spirit. "So, why her?"

"_She has a great strength and fiery determination no one has ever had before."_

"So, she can help me defeat Fire Nation?"

_"Yes. But beware they will try to imprison both of you. I expect they will find out about her soon. In fact, they are approaching as we converse. Go back to the world, Aang and help her understand who she is."_

Aang woke up back in the Earth Temple and sprung upright. He had to find Kenzie. Outside he could hear the a war cry. The Fire Nation was here. He ran out and into the shack where everyone was.

"She's telling the truth!" Aang shouted at Sokka. "And she's the Secondary Avatar!"

"What?" Kenzie exclaimed.

"It's a long story but I'll tell you once we get to safety. The Fire Nation are here."

Kenzie stood up and Aang removed the cuffs. "I'm going to face them," she said loudly.

Aang shook his head. "No Kenzie. You're another Avatar. You can't. You know all the elements, just like me. The Dragon Spirit told me the only difference is you can only visit the Spirit World three times, only converse with minor Spirits, him, and a few others, and once you have been here on the Earth for a hundred years and you die, you don't get reincarnated. And you already know all of the elements."

Kenzie blinked. Then her look hardened. "I'll help you Aang. Get everyone to safety. Katara and Sokka and you get out of here. I'll meet you at the edge of the forest."

Katara shook her head. "If what Aang says is ture, Kenzie, you have to come with us."

"No," Kenzie replied fiercely. "I won't have people get hurt." She ran out, her sword and dagger in hand.

"Wait, Kenzie!" Aang shouted. He turned to Sokka. "They'll know who she is if she uses all the elements."

Kenzie raced to the Fire troops and instantly muttered "I already have all of the elements inside me, then?"

She focused, hard, and then imagined an invisible hand lifting a wall of earth up against the troops. She closed her eyes, almost putting herself into it, blocking the troops away from the screaming people of the Earth Kingdom.

A wall of earth shot up and another and another. Soon the troops were caged.

Kenzie ran up as a fire soldier leaped over the wall. She sent a blast of fire at him which he quickly deflected. "Trator," he snarled and rushed at her. She instantly imagined the earth he was standing on sinking and the ground beneath the soldier disappeared. He screamed as he fell into the earth. "Close," she whispered and the earth sealed itself back up.

Behind her, troops were hopping out of the cage and she quickly sent blasts of fire at them all. Some of them made them evaporate but others scarred their faces and stopped them. Aang appeared next to her. "I can't figure out Air and water," she whispered to him as he sent a blast of air at the troops which blew them back into the earthy cage Kenzie had created.

Kenzie stared hard at the ground beneath the soldiers, swept her arm in the air and plunged it down on the ground. The earth beneath them all vanished and they all fell. Aang sealed the crack in the earth back up. He looked at her with admiration. "That was really good for a first try with Earth."

Sokka came up behind them. "We have to leave," he told them. "Now."

Kenzie didn't argue and ran after Katara and Sokka along with Aang.

* * *

The Fire Lord summoned Zuko to his throne room. "Zuko, I heard correctly that a girl escaped the Fire Nation today and betrayed us, right?"

Zuko nodded. "Yes, Lord."

"My spies today saw a girl who was bending both earth and fire along with the Avatar. I've heard of such people but they are extremely rare. I believe she was the same girl who escaped today. She was one of us. But that isn't the most peculiar part. Our spies followed the group of the Avatar and this girl and saw her bending air and water. It seemed the Avatar was teaching her."

He turned to Zuko. "I think that the Spirits have sent another Avatar."

"Another Avatar?" he asked incredolously.

The Fire Lord nodded. "Correct. The spies couldn't go any further but I'm trusting you with something, Zuko. I want both the girl and the Avatar brought to me in chains."

"Yes, Lord."

"If it comes to a choice between the girl and the Avatar, choose the girl. Even if she is not a second Avatar, he'll come look for her, that I am certain."

"I will leave at once," Zuko said, standing in a military fashion.

The Fire Lord nodded. "Go."

As Zuko went to the door, a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. "And Zuko," the Fire Lord mentioned. "If you fail me, I will exile you once and for all."

Zuko took a deep breath, then left.

If the girl was once one of them she shouldn't be too hard to find. She should have dark hair, pale skin, and green eyes most likely. He would not be exiled.

He would get both.

* * *

After Aang gave her pointers for air and water, Kenzie could do the basic tricks. It came to her naturally just as he said it would. It was almost strange, the way it just happened.

She still loved fire. The way its warmth spread across her body, the way it shot out like a snake, fierce and fast. She loved it that way. It would always be the element that was most a part of her.

Aang came over to her and asked her almost timidly "Could you teach me fire?"

Kenzie nodded. "Sure. Now fire isn't as flowing as water or as forceful as earth. It's graceful but quick and agile. It shoots out like a snake."

She continued teaching him until he was throwing fireballs. He smiled. "Thanks."

Kenzie smiled back and then settled down into a tree for the night. It had been a long day.

**Hope you enjoyed! Please review, let me know how you liked it! **


	3. Captured

**Hi everyone! Hope you like this chappie! **

Kenzie awoke on the hard ground and she sat up slowly, twisting her back getting all of the cricks out of it. "Aang?" she called sleepily. "Katara? Sokka?"

Sokka walked over to her. "Morning. Katara and Aang are calling our ride."

Kenzie's eyebrows went up. "Our ride?"

A rumble shook the earth and Kenzie instinctively drew her sword but Sokka lowered his hand, signalling to drop the weapon.

A bison landed on the ground, coming from the sky with Aang and Katara atop the massive animal. "Whoa!" Kenzie exclaimed. She ran over to the bison. "This is your pet, Aang?"

He nodded. "Yes, this is Appa."

Katara shot a worried glance all around her. "We need to move. The Fire Nation is probably following us."

Appa took off into the air. "So, where are we going?" Kenzie asked. "What's our next goal?"

"Fire troops are moving towards the Southern Water Kingdom, hoping to find Benders. Katara was the only one left but they are going to check just in case. We need to help them," Sokka replied.

"What happens after that?" Kenzie asked curiously.

"Aang finishes his fire training. Then you and Aang seek guidance from the Spirits and face the Fire Nation."

Appa soared through the air, Aang sitting in front, Katara behind him, Kenzie behind Katara, and Sokka in the back. They cut through the cool morning air. Up ahead, Kenzie could see an icy cold land. Even though she could bend water, she knew she wouldn't like this place much. Fire was her natural element after all. And fire and water didn't go together so well.

The bison landed in the midst of all the ice and Aang, Katara, and Kenzie hopped off. Sokka frowned, paused, then came off as well.

"It's empty," Katara said quietly. "Why is it so empty? The Fire Nation couldn't have come yet. There's no smoke."

"Search for survivors," Sokka commanded and he took off in an opposite direction. "Well, search for anyone, really." Katara ran off the other way.

"It's not a good idea to split up," Kenzie whispered nervously.

"We'll be fine," Aang assured her and took off southward. Kenzie took her dagger and sword and then west.

The land was cold, barren and icy. Kenzie had to use concentration to melt the ice below her feet. Fire was dominent in her. She circled around the land but could see no one. Hope filled her as up ahead she saw huts. "Hello?" she called. "Is anyone there?"

She peeked inside and her heart fell. No one.

Kenzie stepped back outside and kept walking in the cold wintery frozen place. There was complete silence-not even a wind was blowing.

A heavy force suddenly slammed into Kenzie, knocking her to the ice. She instantly tried to get back up but the force knocked her down again, tackling her to the ice. Her arms were yanked behind her, her sword and dagger thrown out of her hands and bound behind her back. She fought, kicking her captor or whoever it was. "Aang! Katara! Sokka!" she shouted but a heavy hand clapped over her mouth. Kenzie squirmed as much possible, kicking and thrashing. She felt some blows connect with whoever it was but within seconds her arms were bound behind her back and her ankles tressed together. Whoever it was removed their hand and instantly secured a gag in her mouth.

The figure yanked her to her feet and she saw that it was Zuko, the Fire Lord's son. "You," she tried to say but instead it sounded like "Ysh."

His expression was emotionless and cold and slung her over his shoulder. Kenzie kicked at his back with her bound feet, kneeing him in the shoulders, and squirming as much as possible. Zuko flinched at times but otherwise ignored it.

Cold fear filled Kenzie when she saw the black iron ship harbored where no one could see it. Kenzie desperately tried to throw herself off of Zuko, kicking him again and again. She even tried to roll of off him but nothing worked. He had a firm grip on her waist.

She was brought aboard where Zuko dumped her on the floor. "Do you never give up?" he asked, bending over to catch his breath.

He hiked up his shirt a little, showing the many bruises she had just landed in with her feet. Kenzie smirked at him.

Zuko then called "Uncle Iroh!"

Iroh came into the room, then frowned when he saw Kenzie. "Your father wanted you to kidnap a young girl? She looks of our nation!"

Zuko nodded. "She betrayed us and the Fire Lord thinks she may be a Secondary Avatar."

Iroh gave Kenzie a look of pity. "Oh, at least take her gag off."

Zuko closed the door that led inside the ship and then untied the gag around Kenzie's mouth. She stared at both of them and then growled "Do you realize what your doing? You have to let me go! It will upset the balance if I am not there to help Aang. You must let me go, Zuko."

Zuko ignored her and yanked her to her feet, then walked through a hallway. He quickly threw her inside a stone cell and locked it.

When he came out, Iroh sighed. "Zuko-"

"I know, Uncle. Now for the Avatar."

* * *

Aang, Katara, and Sokka met where they had left. "Where's Kenzie?" Katara asked worriedly.

"She'll be here soon," Sokka reassured her but there was a tone of doubt in his voice. "I don't understand all of this. Is this some sort of trap or something? There isn't anyone here anymore!"

"I think it is a trap," Aang replied. A shadow crossed his face. "Did you hear that?"

Katara looked at him strangely. "I didn't hear anything."

"It was Kenzie!" Aang insisted. "She said our names!"

"Did she find someone?" Sokka asked. Aang began to sprint west and Katara and Sokka followed him, trying not to skid on the slick ice. They came to a spot and Katara gasped in horror.

"Over here!" She was holding Kenzie's dagger, sword, and bundle.

"A struggle," Aang told them. "There are the imprints right there. I think they've got her."

"We have to get her back!" Katara exclaimed. "We need her!"

"It's worse than that. We need her to finish Aang's fire training. Without that, he can't face the Fire Nation," Sokka said grimly.

**Please review! **


	4. Chains

**I want to give special thanks to BayDear who is the only person who reviewed. You are incredibly awesome and deserve a big shiny medal. Here's an invisible chocolate cake for you. Anyway dear readers please enjoy! And review! **

"The Avatar will come after the girl," Zuko told Iroh. "We'll just take her for now."

Iroh sighed. "Are you sure this is smart, Zuko? This may tip the balance. I can't just-"

"It's the only way to not get exiled," Zuko whispered angrily. "I'm going to check on her."

He walked into the hallway to see Kenzie closing her eyes, and fire burning through her bonds. As soon as she saw him, Zuko was pushed back through the air. He quickly scrambled to his feet and drew his sword, thrusting it at her as she tried to run. The sword blocked her path but she just slid under it. "Uncle! Get her!" Zuko shouted. Kenzie crreated a mini-tornado around herself and as Iroh tried to grab her wrist, he was blown back into the wall.

Zuko saw a pair of fire-resistant cuffs and a sharp dart and just as the storm died down a bit, he leaped on her, knocking her to the floor and quickly pricked her with the dart. Kenzie fell limp against the floor and Zuko breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly retrieved a test tube, used it to suck the venom out of her system, and cleansed it with heat. He then placed the cuffs on her wrists, yanking them behind her back. He then found some fire-resistant wire and used that to bind her ankles.

"That was close," he whispered.

He turned to his uncle who was staring, impressed, at the girl. "She fights well."

Zuko took a black chain, connected it to her cuffs and then to the wall so that she was connected to the wall in such a way she walk around a little bit but not too far.

"When will she wake up?" Iroh asked.

"Within a few minutes."

Prince Zuko sat back until he saw the girl shift, slumped on the floor. She sat up and eyes slowly opened. Her face fell when she realized where she was.

"That was a daring escape you made," he warned her.

She looked him straight in the eye and spoke clearly. "It almost worked." She paused. "Zuko, you can't bring me back. We need to end this War. I lived in Fire Nation for a while. It is the main center of what's causing this war. If you don't bring me back, the balance may have a chance. Think outside of your position. I-"

Zuko quickly gagged her, then gave her a cold steely look. "Listen, girl. It isn't my fault. If I don't bring you back, I'll be exiled as one of my own."

Kenzie stood up and strained against her cuffs, fire literally burning in her eyes. "Do that all you want," Zuko said submissively. "That doesn't affect me. In fact, it only exhausts you even more."

Iroh stood up as Zuko angrily left. He knelt next to the girl and spoke straight from the heart. "I am so very deeply sorry." Then he left too.

Kenzie was furious. There was nothing she could really do. She settled back against the wall. The least she could do was save her energy. She bit her lip. She wasn't going to cry. She never cried. But she couldn't help feeling worthless. The day after she figured out she really was she'd been kidnapped and now the others had to save her. "I'll make it up to them," she vowed to herself quietly. "I'll prove myself somehow."

Kenzie scoured the room with her eyes but she couldn't see anything that could unlock her cuffs. But there were no openings in them anyway. The only way to get rid of them was for someone to pull them off. And although Iroh believed in balance more than Zuko he probably wouldn't let her go.

She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes, determined to stay strong.

* * *

Katara, Aang, and Sokka rode on Appa's back heading to the Fire Nation as quickly as they could. "Should we grab her while their loading her into the palace?" Sokka asked. Katara shook her head. "I have a better idea." She leaned forward and began whispering what her plan was to them.

* * *

Zuko came over to Kenzie who was sitting down, her eyes wide awake. She glared at him and he released the chains from the walls. With her hands and feet tied she really couldn't do anything. Kenzie tried to lean forward to get him to let go but it didn't work. Zuko held on tight and then kicked her. "Go," he commanded and Kenzie moved as best as she could with her ankles bound together.

Outside the ship was a metal cart which Zuko loaded her into. A Fire Soldier held the chains so tight that when she attempted to kick him, she ended up flat on her back. The cart was pushed into the palace where they dumped Kenzie on the floor, two soldiers holding the chords that were attached to her cuffs. Lord Ozai was sitting on his throne and smirked when he saw her. "Good work, Zuko," he said without the slighest trace of approval. He then turned to the girl Avatar. "Well you weren't too hard to catch I hear." He signalled to one of the guards who pulled her gag off. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Kenzie glared up at him and said in a barely controlled tone. "Well, I can't say its nice to meet you. I would explain why you should let me go but when I tried to explain to your thick-headed son he didn't really catch on so I guess it would be the same for you, especially the fact that your even more thick headed." She hoped her voice wasn't shaking. She had to give them the impression she wasn't scared.

Lord Ozai frowned. "Well, its nice to have a prisoner with some spunk. That'll make everything a little more interesting. See, whatever your name is, the other Avatar is coming after you. Once we have him nothing will stop us from winning the war."

Kenzie gave the Fire Lord a steely glare. "Yeah, well, here's the thing O-Not-So-Brave-Fire-Lord. I don't know if you've ever thought about this but I'm not just going to sit here like an obedient dog. And neither will Aang. We will fight with all we have to restore peace and the balance. You will never control us."

The Fire Lord had to admit he was slightly impressed with the girl's bravery. He stood and gave her a glare back. "Oh but I do control you. After all, you don't want your lovely water-bending friend and her brother to get hurt, am I right?"

"What's the point of all this? Are you trying to prove that I'm smarter than you in front of all your soldiers?" Kenzie asked coolly. "_Aang, Katara, Sokka, if your going to rescue me, now would be the time," _she thought.

The Fire Lord narrowed his eyes. "I don't have time for your impudence." He turned to the guards. "I want her chained up in the Room next to my Chambers. I also want two hundred guards, fifty inside, one hundred right outside the door, and fifty down the hall. She does not escape. Understand?"

A guard roughly pulled Kenzie to her feet and pushed her to the hall where the Fire Lord's chambers were located. Kenzie kept tripping because of her bonds. She tried to examine every little detail, hoping that something could help her escape.

The guards brought her inside a dank sort of cell and secured her with what seemed like an endless amount of chains. They sat her in an iron chair, binding her waist, her wrists, ankles, until she couldn't even move.

Kenzie watched as fifty guards filed into the room, turned away from her and she sighed. She was really hoping Aang would hurry.

* * *

Aang blew three guards against the wall knocking them out, then whispered to Katara. "Take their uniforms. We'll slip inside."

Sokka shook his head. "Aang, that's not going to work."

"We don't know where she is. We don't know how to get to her. This is pretty much our only option."

Sokka sighed and began taking the uniforms off of the guards.

**Can they rescue Kenzie? Dun dun dun dun. And also PLEASE REVIEW. I won't post another chapter till I get two reviews. So come on guys! Review! :D :D :D :D Put a smile on my face! **


	5. Sokka

**Hey everyone! Sorry it took so long to write this chapter, school started and I've been super busy. Anyway, review, and if you do review I will give you a plate of brownies. Thanks to BayDear for faithfully reviewing! **

Aang, Katara, and Sokka stood right outside the fire palace with a few dilemmas. First of all, the uniforms didn't have hoods that would hide their faces and Aang and Katara wouldn't fit in at all. The Avatar was too short and everyone would instantly notice that Katara was female.

"What should we do?" Katara asked urgently, peeking at the swirling embers and hot coals of the fire palace. "There's no other way to rescue Kenzie."

"I'll go," Sokka whispered quietly, fear gripping his chest.

"No!" Aang said fiercely. "You can't go in alone. Maybe we should just fight our way in."

Sokka gripped Katara's shoulders. "Listen. You're my sister and you're like a younger brother to me. I can't put you two in danger-this is really all my fault. If we hadn't split up, Kenzie would still be here with us. Splitting up was my idea. I should be the one to go inside. Besides, even though I don't completely look like a Fire Nation soldier you two going inside would be suicide for us. Aang would get captured, Katara and I would be killed, and the war would be lost. I'm going inside whether you like it or not."

He turned on his heel when he felt a hand on his shoulders turn him around and he felt Katara leap on him, crushing him in a strangling hug. He embraced her back, then quickly darted into the palace, slipping into line of Fire Nation soldiers who were marching up the stairs.

Sokka took a deep breath and followed them, masking his face in an expression of robotic cruelty and hoping that he would find Kenzie soon.

* * *

They had blindfolded and bound Kenzie so tight all she could literally do was blink and breath. She heard seldom motion around her but sometimes she could make out the occasional whisper or snort of the soldiers communicating.

Kenzie wondered if anyone was really trying to rescue her. She thought of Aang, Katara, and Sokka. Were they even trying to find her? She felt a worried knot in her stomach. What if they hadn't even noticed she was gone? _"Of course not. That's silly. Sokka might not care about me that much but I'm still the Second Avatar. Even if they dislike me, they still need me."_

Her chafed wrists and ankles were sore from the tight ropes and she squirmed uncomfortably in her chair. How long would she have to wait like this? Her eyes narrowed. Her people were selfish and cruel. Kenzie instantly felt a pang of regret. Why did she have to be born in this Nation? It made her loyalties seem so twisted? And why had the Spirits chosen her to be the Secondary Avatar? She wasn't exactly special. Just a poor dirty girl who'd betrayed her nation.

The creak of a door sounded and Kenzie tilted her head to the side, straining her ears to pick up any sounds that would give her clues to her surroundings. Due to the heaviness of the door swinging open, it was probably iron. More soldiers marched in and Kenzie cringed when they slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

She knew what message they were trying to convey to her. No one was getting out.

* * *

Sokka was inside. Luckily, the soldiers weren't paying too much close attention to him but he could see Kenzie. They were standing in straight lines in rows and he quickly joined them. From the corner of his eyes, he could see that they were in a room made entirely out of metal, like a prison cell. The walls were slick and there were no windows-only a heavy iron door with a thick chain across it. A couple of torches were lit near the door.

At the center of the room, he could see Kenzie, dressed in her tattered tunic, sitting in a cold metal chair. Her wrists, ankles, and torso was bound to the chair and there were thick snakelike chains around her thighs and elbows. A blindfold and gag was tied across her face so you could only see her pale nose and cheeks.

Sokka could see her head tilted to the side and he stifled a grin. She was trying to determine any sounds that could help her get out of here. She was clever, no doubt about that and something inside him told him she hadn't given up. She squirmed slightly in her chair but he then frowned.

How was he going to get her out of here? There were at least fifty soldiers in here, maybe one hundred. He was a good fighter but not that good. And besides, he couldn't bend.

By a sudden impulse, Sokka's face hardened and he announced "I have a notice from Lord Ozai. He requires the Second Avatar at once."

He groaned inwardly. Stupid, stupid, stupid. All the soldier's turned to look at him and he quickly walked over to Kenzie, his face a mask of calm.

"What-" the soldier's voice stopped and Sokka tried to duck further into the darkness but one summoned flames and lit his hand. "You don't have the features of Fire Nation!"

All at once, the soldiers rushed at him, weapons held high and Sokka quickly pulled out his knife and sawed at Kenzie's bonds, slicing through them hurriedly.

He ripped her blindfold and gag off and hoisted her to her feet. "Bend or something!" he shouted in her ear as hard hands closed around his elbows and dragged him back, slamming him against the metal wall.

But Kenzie had already started. She made a quick snakelike motion with her hands and the fire flew from the torches, making a large barrier around her. Then as soldiers rushed at her, she made sweeping gestures and a large burst of wind slammed them into Sokka. He grimaced and kicked them away, slamming his head into the guards that were holding him.

One grip on him loosened and he quickly kicked at the soldiers, making concentrated punches and power-packed kicks.

Kenzie had started a kind of whirlwind made of fire and air, swirling around her rapidly, glowing so much that the soldiers were too afraid to approach her. A group of about three rushed at the tornado, but were quickly blown into the ceiling by the force of the wind.

Sokka could tell she was tiring by her expression and that made him worried. He fought through the mob of soldiers and by the time he got to Kenzie, her whirlwind was dying down. He stepped in her circle easily and seized her forearm, dragging her through the mob.

Rough hands grabbed him but he fought back, shielding Kenzie.

Once he got to the door though, he knew it was hopeless.

Missiles shot at him and but they rebounded off of his Fire Nation armor; Sokka continued to kick away outstretched hands and he suddenly felt the door swing open.

Kenzie's pale and weak hand tugged him through and she quickly blew away the soldiers into the wall, then sagged against Sokka.

He then understood. She'd popped the lock with air. How had she done that exactly? Sokka was grudgingly impressed.

But the worst was yet to come. There were still soldiers waiting at the hall and the staircase was yards away. Kenzie was nearly unconscious with almost no strength left.

Ozai appeared at the top of the stairs. "The game is up," he hissed.

Sokka's eyes narrowed but then he sighed. He'd failed Katara. He wasn't coming back.

At least he'd convinced Aang not to come with him. Then they would all have been captured. He glared at the soldiers but he knew the fight was over.

They closed in on him and fire appeared in their hands, ready to strike and Sokka looked down at Kenzie who's eyelids were fluttering.

All at once, the fires suddenly went out and Kenzie staggered to her feet. Sokka backed up because although he could see her tired body, her eyes were full of determination. Flames danced in them and her hands were balled into fists. A guttural noise came from her throat and even Sokka shivered at the mask of barely concealed rage on her face.

He had a feeling Kenzie was running on pure adrenaline now and he backed up ever so slightly-he didn't want to be in the warpath.

Flames suddenly shot into her hands and she began rapid fire, hurling fireballs at the soldiers. It didn't do any real damage but it distracted them for moments as she raised her hands, concentrating hard. The ground underneath them was shaking violently.

Sokka almost toppled over but crouched down, managing not to fall completely to the floor. Soldiers toppled to the ground but Ozai was still standing, gripping to the staircase.

Chunks of metal and torches began to fall and a window shattered as Appa came flying in, Katara and Aang on his back.

Kenzie's knees buckled from the effort and Sokka quickly grabbed her arm, literally tossing her onto Appa. "Get up fools!" Ozai shouted. "The Avatars! Get them!" His voice shook with rage and Sokka nimbly mounted Appa, setting Kenzie upright who was as limp as a rag doll.

Soldiers closed in and one seized Katara's arm but Aang propelled him back with a fierce gust of wind and Appa flew away from the fire palace, Kenzie slumped against him.

Sokka grinned and let out a whoop which was really unlike him, but he didn't care. They were free!

He turned to hug Katara when his mouth dropped open in horror.

An flaming arrow was embedded in her shoulder, her face pale, as her eyes stared sadly up at him.

**Dun dun dun, CLIFFHANGER! :D **


End file.
